The San Antonio Spurs seized home-court advantage in the Western Conference finals, edging the Oklahoma City Thunder 122-115 in a double-overtime thriller. Victor Wembanyama delivered a historic performance with 41 points and 24 rebounds, overshadowing Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's MVP pregame ceremony. His late-game heroics, including a crucial block and two dunks, secured the franchise's first conference finals win since 2017.

Despite Gilgeous-Alexander's late dunk over Wembanyama, the Thunder's shooting collapsed. Oklahoma City managed only 37.2% from the field and 27.3% from three over the first three quarters. Turnovers plagued rookie Stephon Castle, who committed 11 giveaways. The Spurs' defensive scheme, focused on limiting Gilgeous-Alexander's paint access, forced the Thunder into missed open threes they typically make.

San Antonio started the youngest lineup in conference finals history, averaging 22 years and 346 days, and did not buckle. The Spurs strategically posted Wembanyama more frequently against the smaller Thunder front line, a departure from his regular-season three-point volume. This tactical shift, combined with Wembanyama's physical dominance, gave San Antonio a critical opening statement. The Thunder must now adjust, particularly regarding Chet Holmgren's offensive involvement, after his eight-point struggle continued a season-long pattern against the Spurs.